Combination switch and lighting element



Oct. 9, 1962 J. A. WOODWARD 3,058,032

COMBINATION SWITCH AND LIGHTING ELEMENT Filed June 1, 1960 United StatesPatent ()flfice 3,058,032 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 3,058,032 COMBINATIONSWITCH AND LIGHTING ELEMENT James A. Woodward, West Des Moines, Iowa,assignor of one-half to Quintin C. Teich, Des Moines, Iowa Filed June 1,1960, Ser. No. 33,268 fiiaims. (Cl. 315-272) My invention relates toswitch and lighting elements and more particularly to a combination ofthese elements wherein the lighting element can be made to flash attimes between predetermined degrees of light intensity.

Various elements have been devised to be imposed in electrical circuitsto intermittently interrupt the flow of electrical energy through thecircuit. My invention relates to the specific combination of such adevice with a light switch mechanism.

A blinking or flashing light has many possible useful adaptations.However, many desirable applications of a flashing light also call forthe use of a constant light at times. For example, a flashing light onthe porch of a home would be very ideal to provide identification for aperson looking for the home after dark, but a constant light would bemuch more satisfactory to light the way in most instances when a personwas arriving at or departing from the home. However, there is no wayknown to me whereby a single porch light can provide both a flashing andconstant light at different times.

Therefore, the principal object of my invention is to provide acombination switch and lighting element which can selectively produceeither a constant or flashing lighting effect.

A further object of my invention is to provide a combination switch andlighting element which can selectively produce either a constant orflashing lighting effect with the use of only a single lighting element.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combinationswitch and lighting element which can provide a flashing lighting effectat times without completely extinguishing the light at any given instantso as to permit the light to flash between bright and dim intensities.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combinationswitch and lighting element which can be easily operated to createeither a constant or flashing lighting effect.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combinationswitch and lighting element which is economical of manufacture, durablein use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed outin my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a wiring diagram of the preferred form of my device;

FIG. 2 is a wiring diagram of a different specie of my device;

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of an alternate form of the device shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of an alternate form of the device shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the switch used in the form of mydevice in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the switch used in the form of mydevice in FIGS. 2 and 4; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the form of my device shown inFIG. 1 as mounted on the wall of a conventional dwelling.

I have used the numeral 10 to designate a conventional vertical wallstudding member which helps to support a plastered surface 12 on itsinner side and sheathing 14 and shingles 16 on its outer side. Anopening 18 can appear in sheathing 14 and shingles 16, and aconventional llght element 20 can be mounted on the outer side thereof.Light element 20 can be comprised of base member 22, terminals 24 and26, bulb 28 and shield 30. The bulb 28 is adapted to be illuminatedwhenever terminals 24 and 26 are imposed in an energized electricalcircuit.

An opening 32 can appear in plastered surface 12 and a conventionalmetal switch box 34 can be mounted within \the wall and in communicationwith opening 32. Switch box 34 can be so mounted by screws 36, as shownin FIG. 7, and screws 36 can also be utilized to secure plate 38 to theswitch box.

In FIG. 7, I have shown a conventional three-position switch 40 mountedwithin switch box 34 in any convenient fashion. A toggle 42 on switch 40protrudes through opening 44 in plate 38. Switch 40 has threeconventional terminals 46, 48 and 50 which are adapted to receive andhold an electrO-conducting wire. In its upper position (shown in FIG.7), toggle 42 is adapted to electrically connect terminals 46 and 48; inits lower conventional position, terminals 48 and 50 are electricallyconnected; and in its horizontal or neutral position, none of the threeterminals 46, 48 and 50 is electrically connected.

A positive wire 52 is connected to a source of electrical energy by oneof its ends and to terminal 48 on switch 40 by its other end. A wire 54electrically connects terminal 46 with terminal 26 on lighting element20. Wire 56 electrically connects terminal 50 with terminal 58 on aconventional flasher element 60. Wire 62 connects terminal 64 on flasherelement 60 with terminal 26 on lighting element 20. Ground wire 66 isconnected to terminal 24 on lighting element 20 and returns to thesource of electrical energy. In FIG. 3 I have shown wires 68 and '70connected to wires 56 and 62, respectively, with rectifier 72 interposedtherebetween so that the rectifier is electrically connected in parallelto the flasher element 60.

In FIG. 2, I have shown wire 74 extending from a source of electricalenergy to one side of two-position switch 76. Wire 78 connects the otherside of switch 76 to terminal 80 on two-position switch 82. Wire 83connects terminal 80 with one side of conventional flasher 60A which issimilar to the above-mentioned flasher 60. Wire 84 connects the oppositeside of switch 82 to terminal 26 of lighting element 20 and wire 86connects flasher 60A with terminal 26. In FIG. 4 I have shown rectifier72A connected in parallel with flasher element 60A by means of wires 88and 90 which extend from opposite sides of the rectifier to terminal 86and wire 84, respectively. In FIG. 6, I have shown plate 92 which isadapted to be placed on switch box 40 whenever two-position switches 76and 82 are mounted therein instead of three-position switch 40.Rectifiers 72 and 72A are normally mounted within switch box 40 in anyconvenient fashion whenever they are employed.

The normal operation of my device is as follows: With reference to FIGS.1 and 7, whenever toggle 42 is moved to electrically connect terminals46 and 48 (see the On position in FIG. 5), the bulb 28 will becomeilluminated as energy flows through wire 52, switch 40, wire 54, thencethrough terminal 26, bulb 28, terminal 24 and thence to ground throughwire 66. The bulb will be constantly illuminated as long as toggle 42connects terminals 46 and 48. When toggle 42 is moved to the Offposition in FIG. 5, the above described circuit will be broken. When thetoggle is moved to the blink position shown in FIG. 5, the circuitthrough the bulb will include the series connected terminal 50, wire 56,flasher element 60, terminal 64 and wire 62. As the points in theflasher element 60 open and close in conventional fashion, the bulb 28will become intermittently illuminated. It the rectifier 72 is connectedin parallel to flasher elements 60, as shown in FIG. 3, rectifiedcurrent will pass to bulb 28 even when the points of flasher element 60are open, and the result of this phenomenon is that bulb 28 flashesbetween a high and low illumination density.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 6, switch 82 can be opened it a flashinglight is desired or closed if a steady light is desired. After theposition selection at switch 82 is made, switch 76 can then be closed. Aflashing light will result when switch 82 is open, and the circuit willbe completed through wire 74, switch 76, wire 78, wire 83, flasherelement 60A, wire 86, terminal 26, bulb 28, terminal 24 and wire 66. Theclosing of switch 82 will permit a constant flow of energy around theflasher element by means of switch 82 and wire 84, whereupon bulb 23will be constantly illuminated. The opening of switch 76 will extinguishbulb 28 whether the bulb is flashing or not. The addition of rectifier72A to the circuitry of FIG. 2, as depicted in FIG. 4, will have thesame effect on the flashing of bulb 28 as did the rectifier 72 in thecircuitry of FIG. 3.

Thus, from the foregoing, it is seen that my device will accomplish atleast all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of mycombination switch and lighting element without departing from the realspirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover bymy claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanicalequivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination, a bulb, a manually operated switch, and an electricalflasher element adapted to intermittently interrupt the flow of currenttherethrough when imposed in a live electrical circuit, a first meanselectrically connecting said switch, said flasher element and said bulb,a second means electrically connecting said switch and said bulb, arectifier element, means electrically connecting said rectifier elementto said flasher element in parallel, means connecting said switch to asource of electrical energy, and means on said switch to selectively,independently connect said source of electrical energy to either saidfirst or second means; said manually operated switch being located at apoint remote from said bulb whereby operation of said switch can beaccomplished independently of said bulb and independently of temperatureconditions.

2. In combination, first means adapted to transmit therethrough electricenergy, said first means adapted to visibly indicate the intensity ofsaid energy, second means connectible to a source of electric energy andoperable to transmit said energy to either of two electric connections,third means adapted to vary the intensity of the energy from saidsource, first electric energy transmission means connected between oneof said connections and said first 4 means, and second electric energytransmission means connected between the other of said connections andsaid first means, and with said third means interposed in said secondtransmission means, and fourth means interposed in said secondtransmission means for intermittently interrupting the flow of energytransmitted therethrough.

3. In combination, a bulb, a source of electrical energy, a single pole,double throw electric switch connected to said source and adapted in oneposition to transmit said energy through a first circuit to said bulbfor illumination thereof, a separate circuit connected between saidswitch and said bulb and energized when said switch is placed in anotherposition, an electric flasher means interposed in said separate circuitfor intermittently interrupting the flow of energy therethrough whensaid separate circuit is energized, and a semi-conductor element alsointerposed in said separate circuit with said flasher element, wherebyplacement of said switch in one position results in a constantillumination from said bulb, and placement of said switch in saidanother position results in a flashing illumination of varyingintensities from said bulb.

4. In combination, a light bulb, a source of electrical energy, amanually operated switch having a single pole connected to said sourceand a pair of spaced terminals, said pole movable from a non-engagingposition with either of said terminals to a position engaging either ofsaid terminals, a first Wire connected between said bulb and one of saidterminals for transmitting current therethrough, a second wire connectedbetween said bulb and the other of said terminals for transmittingcurrent therethrough, a flasher element electrically interposed in saidsecond line for intermittently interrupting the flow of currenttherethrough, and a rectifier element also electrically interposed insaid second line for varying the intensity of the bulb illumination.

5. In combination, a bulb, a manually operated switch, electricalflasher means adapted to intermittently interrupt the flow of currenttherethrough when imposed in a live electrical circuit, a first meanselectrically connecting said switch, said flasher means, and said bulb,a semi-conductor element, means electrically connecting said switch to asource of electrical energy, and means on said switch to selectively,independently connect said source of electrical energy to either saidfirst or second means; said manually operated switch being located at apoint remote from said bulb whereby operation of said switch can beaccomplished independently of said bulb and independently of temperatureconditions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,683,992 Shoenberg et a1 Sept. 11, 1928 1,732,488 Shoenberg et al Oct.22, 1929 2,064,020 Ludwig et al Dec. 15, 1936 2,075,669 Smith et al Mar.30, 1937 2,896,125 Morton July 21, 1959

